Subsurface-packer.



W. 0. CARLEY & C. HOLLINGSWORTH. SUBSURFACE PAGKER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.3, 1910.

1,01 8,605. Patentgd Feb. 27, 1912.

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WILLIAM 0. CARLEY AND CLAUDE HOLLINGSWORTH, OF COLFAX, WASHINGTON.

SUBSURFACE-PACKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 3, 1910.

Patented Feb. 27,1912.

Serial No. 541,746.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, VILLIAH O. Gxnnnr and CLAUDE HoLLIxcswon'm-I,citizens of the United States, residing at Colfax, in the county ofWVhitman and State of WVashington, have invented a new and usefulSubsurface-Packer, of which the follmving is a specification.

This invention has relation to sub-surface packers and it consists inthe novel construction and arrangement of its parts as herein aftershown and described.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, effective andflexible machine adapted to be used for the purpose of packing thesub-surface of the soil in order that the said sub-surface may beprovided with grooves or trenches in which moisture may accumulate.Inasmuch as it is a common expedient to so treat the sub-surface of thesoil especially in arid sections where dry farming must be resorted toit is considered unnecessary to go into further details to set forth theadvantages of such treatment of the soil.

The principal feature of the present invention rcsides in the fact thatauxiliary frames are pivotally connected with a main frame and each ofthe said auxiliary frames is provided with an axle shaft. The framesswing on their pivots in planes co-incident with the vertical planes oftheir respective axle shafts and rotary packing members are mounted uponthe said axle shafts and are adapted to penetrate the fallow soil andoperate upon the sub-surface in the manner in dicated.

In the accompanying drawings,l igure 1 is a top plan view of one form ofthe subsurface packer. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the form ofinvent-ion illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of amodified form of the sub-surface packer. Fig. 41: is an end view of theform of packer illustrated in Fig. 3.

The sub-surface packer includes a rectangular main frame 1 to whichshafts or tongues 2 are attached in any appropriate manner. If desired,an operators seat 3 may be mounted upon the frame 1. In the form ofinvention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, three auxiliaryframes are used, two of them being attached one to each end of the mainframe 1 and designated as 1, while the frame 5 trails behind the mainframe 1 but is flexibly connected to said main frame in a manner whichwill be explained presently. The frames l and 5 are approximatelydiamond-shaped in plan and each of the said frames is provided with anaxle shaft 6 which is supported at its ends at the end portions of thesaid frame and rotary packing members 7 are mounted upon the said axleshaft (3. Bars 8 are attached to the intermediate portion of theauxiliary frame 5 and are pivotally connected with a link 9 which inturn is connected with the frame 1. Any other suitable flexible meansmay be provided for attaching or connecting the auxiliary frame 5 withthe main frame 1. The main frame 1 is provided at its ends with thedependinglugs 10 which are pivotally connected with upstanding lugs 11located at points midway between the ends of the auxiliary frames at.The inner ends of the frames 4t are spaced from each other and the frame5 is so connected with the frame 1 that the rotary members '7 carried bythe frame 5 will opcrate upon or in the soil which is located betweenthe inner ends of the said frames 4. By so connecting and positioningthe auxiliary frames t and 5 with relation to the main frame 1, it willbe seen that a flexible machine is provided and as the machine passesover uneven or rough soil the frames rt and may swing so that theirrespective rotary members 7 may enter the soil at a uniform depth. Thiswill assure that the sub-sur face of the soil will be operated upon in auniform manner irrespective of the irregularities which may occur at thesurface thereof.

In the form of invention as illustrated in lfiigs. 3 and 1; of thedrawings, the third or auxiliary frame 5 is dispensed with. In this formof the invention, depending bracket structures 1.). are located at eachend of the frame 1 and the auxiliary frames 13 are pivotally connectedat points mid-way between their ends with the said brackets by means ofpivot bolts 14, which pass transversely through the said brackets andthe said frame. The fran'ies 1.23 are provided with axle shafts l5,somewhat similar to those designated as (3 before described and rotarysoil penetrating members 16 are mounted upon the said axle shafts 15. Arotary member 11') is located at each end of the axle shaft 15 andbeyond the end of the frames 13. The inner ends of the frames 1?) arerelatively close together and in fact the space between the rotarymembers 16 at the inner ends of the axle shafts 15 is approximatelyequal to the space between the members 16 upon the said axle shafts 15.The axes of the pivot bolts 14 are in the same or approximately the samehorizontal plane as the axes of the axle shafts 15 and consequently asthe auxiliary frames 13 rock under the main frame 1, the ends of theaxle shafts 15 are not moved toward each other but have a tendency toswing in upward and downward directions away from each other, andconsequently the innermost soil-engaging members 16 will not have atendency to catch or wedge in the soil.

In view of the fact that this device is especially designed to be usedfor packing the sub soil it will be seen that there is peculiararrangement between the main frame and the auxiliary frames at the endthereof by which the packing members are caused to sink sufficiently inthe top soil to properly operate upon the sub soil without disturbingthe top soil. Also the parts are so arranged that the packing membersmay properly operate upon the sub soil irrespective of irregularities inthe stratum of the same. For instance in both forms of the invention theauxiliary frames are pivoted at their front and rear sides and at pointsmidway between their ends to the opposite sides of the main frame butare restrained to swing vertically only and have the axes of theirrespective axle shafts at all times located in the same vertical planewhich plane is midway between the front and rear sides of the mainframe. This arrangement properly balances the device and the weight thatis carried by the main frame is transferred to the auxiliary frames andthrough the axle shafts thereof in vertical directions to the packingmembers causing them to sink sufficiently below the surface of the topsoil. At the same time the axle shafts carrying the packing members mayswing in vertical 5 planes but their axes are at all times maintained inthe same vertical plane.

Having described the invention what is claimed is A sub-soil packerhaving an open sub stantially rectangular frame, draft appliancesconnected thereto and bracing the front and rear parallel sides of theframe, two auxiliary six sided frames, two pairs of cooperativelyconnected lugs connected to the upper central portion of the auxiliaryframes and centrally of the ends of the under side of the short sides ofthe main frame, the respective outer ends of each auxiliary frameprojecting beyond the path of travel of the main frame and terminatingan equal distance within the main frame, a shaft journaled from theunder side and lengthwise of each auxiliary frame, the ends of the shaftprojecting beyond the respective ends of the auxiliary frame, a seriesof packer disks rotatably mounted upon the shaft and within theauxiliary frame, and a single packing disk journaled upon the respectiveends of the shaft be yond the ends of the auxiliary frames.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have heretoaffixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

lVitnesses R. G. I-IARGRAVE, CLAUDE SwEGLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

